Analysis of dermatologic events in patients with cancer treated with lapatinib.

PURPOSE: Dermatologic events (DEs) in patients with cancer treated with lapatinib, a small-molecule dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR [ErbB1]) and HER2 (ErbB2), were characterized. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nine clinical trials of metastatic cancer were included in this analysis. Lapatinib was administered at doses ranging from 1000 to 1500 mg/day as monotherapy (n=928) or in combination with paclitaxel or capecitabine (n=491). Patients not treated with lapatinib comprised the control group. Dermatologic events included hand-foot syndrome, rash, hair disorder, dry skin, pruritus/urticaria, skin disorder, skin infection, and nail disorder; DEs were characterized based on type, time to onset, severity, duration, and required interventions. RESULTS: Fifty-eight percent of patients treated with lapatinib monotherapy, 74% treated with lapatinib plus paclitaxel or capecitabine, and 53% in the control group developed DEs. Among patients receiving lapatinib monotherapy, 55% experienced grade 1/2 DEs, 3% had grade 3 DEs, and no grade 4 DEs were observed. The most common DE was rash (43%); all other events occurred in

Blood component and immunotherapy in neonatal sepsis.

The future role of IVIG remains unclear. Many, but not all, studies indicate efficacy in the prevention of late-onset disease in premature infants. The role of type-specific IVIG is evolving and may hold promise for both prevention and treatment of neonatal sepsis. Granulocyte transfusions, as adjuvant therapy in neonatal sepsis, seem to be beneficial. However, the difficulty and expense of collection, as well as the advent of colony-stimulating factors, have shifted the focus away from their routine use. Colony-stimulating factors present varied and exciting potential uses, including modulating neonatal hematopoiesis. Current studies are primarily aimed at understanding their effects on neonatal hematopoiesis. Future studies will need to expand on this knowledge and examine what effects they have on treating or preventing neonatal sepsis.